Nat'l Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend

/December 15-17

Pledge your congregation's participation in the 2017 National Vigil for Gun Violence Victims and National Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend, December 15-17

Following the great success of the 4th annual National Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend in December 2016, Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence is again joining the Newtown Foundation and States United to Prevent Gun Violence in calling all Americans across the nation to keep raising our voices for change by pledging to participate in December 2017!

Join places of worship across the nation, the Newtown Foundation and Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, a coalition of more than 50 national denominations and faith-based organizations, to remember those who have lost their lives to gunfire, pray for those whose lives have been forever changed because of the loss of a loved one, and to educate one another on proven strategies to reduce gun violence.

December 6: 5th Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence from 7-9 PM at St. Marks Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.December 15 -17: Congregations across the nation participate via prayer, song, vigils and education​.

Below, you will find resources provided by national, state and local faith organizations to help you plan a prayer, moment of reflection, call to action and more. Or you can jump to your faith tradition's resources by clicking one of these quick links:

EVENT IDEAS

Engagement Activity: Dinner with a missing guest
Hand out a paper plate to each congregant with a prayer on them and ask congregants to place the plate at the dinner table on December 14th, the anniversary of the tragic shootings in Newtown, to represent one of the many who are no longer with us. (Get the one-pager w/ prayer courtesy of Eileen McCarron.)

Points of Light
Light thousands of tealight candles depicting the number of people who have been lost to gun violence since Newtown or light candles representing the number of local gun violence victims. (A helpful calculator showing how many gun deaths since Newtown is available here.)

Vigil & Vocals
Hold a vigil or church service with choir outside member of Congress's office. While church choir is singing, have names of gun violence victims read. Intersperse lines of psalms with names of gun violence victims.

Fasting for Action
A communal fast – have a continuous 2,000 hour fast (12 weeks) where people commit to fasting for one day outside elected officials’ office for gun violence victims.

Acts of Kindness
Perform a specific number of acts of kindness to honor the number lost to gun violence in your community since Newtown.

Have a sermon, prayer, hymn or other resource you would like to submit? Please contact us.

In December 2017, hundreds of places of worship and other groups across the country will participate in the National Vigil for Gun Violence Victims and the National Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend. There are many ways to participate – please join us.

EVENT IDEAS

Engagement Activity: Dinner with a missing guest
Hand out a paper plate to each congregant with a prayer on them and ask congregants to place the plate at the dinner table on December 14th, the anniversary of the tragic shootings in Newtown, to represent one of the many who are no longer with us. (Get the one-pager w/ prayer courtesy of Eileen McCarron.)

Points of Light
Light thousands of tealight candles depicting the number of people who have been lost to gun violence since Newtown or light candles representing the number of local gun violence victims.

Vigil & Vocals
Hold a vigil or church service with choir outside member of Congress's office. While church choir is singing, have names of gun violence victims read. Intersperse lines of psalms with names of gun violence victims.

Fasting for Action
A communal fast – have a continuous 2,000 hour fast (12 weeks) where people commit to fasting for one day outside elected officials’ office for gun violence victims.

Acts of Kindness
Perform a specific number of acts of kindness to honor the number lost to gun violence in your community since Newtown.

Have a sermon, prayer, hymn or other resource you would like to submit? Please contact us.

Hand out this educational flyer during your service on the GVP Sabbath Weekend.

/Islam

Prayers

Have a sermon, prayer, hymn or other resource you would like to submit? Please contact us.

EVENT IDEAS

Engagement Activity: Dinner with a missing guest
Hand out a paper plate to each congregant with a prayer on them and ask congregants to place the plate at the dinner table on December 14th, the anniversary of the tragic shootings in Newtown, to represent one of the many who are no longer with us. (Get the one-pager w/ sample prayer courtesy of Eileen McCarron.)

Points of Light
Light thousands of tealight candles depicting the number of people who have been lost to gun violence since Newtown or light candles representing the number of local gun violence victims.

Vigil & Vocals
Hold a vigil or worship service with choir outside member of Congress's office. While choir is singing, have names of gun violence victims read. Intersperse lines of psalms with names of gun violence victims.

Fasting for Action
A communal fast – have a continuous 2,000 hour fast (12 weeks) where people commit to fasting for one day outside elected officials’ office for gun violence victims.

Acts of Kindness
Perform a specific number of acts of kindness to honor the number lost to gun violence in your community since Newtown.

Participating in the December 2017 Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend is simple and impactful! List your place of worship today.

May peace radiate in the sky as well as in the vast ethereal space everywhere.

/Hinduism

Hindu Prayer for Peace

May peace radiate in the sky as well as in the vast ethereal space everywhere.

May peace reign all over this earth, in water and in all herbs, trees, and creepers.

May peace flow over the whole universe.

May peace be in the Absolute Reality.

And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.

Aum! May our environment be peaceful. May the external forces be peaceful. May we all have inner peace.

Aum! May the Absolute protect all

May the Absolute nourish allMay we work together with great energy,May our studies be vigorous and effective;May we not not hate one anotherAum! May our environment be peaceful. May the external forces be peaceful. May we all have inner peace.

Have a sermon, prayer, hymn or other resource you would like to submit? Please contact us.

Points of Light
Light thousands of tealight candles depicting the number of people who have been lost to gun violence since Newtown or light candles representing the number of local gun violence victims.

Vigil & Vocals
Hold a vigil or worship service with choir outside member of Congress's office. While choir is singing, have names of gun violence victims read. Intersperse lines of psalms with names of gun violence victims.

Fasting for Action
A communal fast – have a continuous 2,000 hour fast (12 weeks) where people commit to fasting for one day outside elected officials’ office for gun violence victims.

Acts of Kindness
Perform a specific number of acts of kindness to honor the number lost to gun violence in your community since Newtown.

Stand with thousands of places of worship across the country. Sign up to participate in the Fall 2017 Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend!

Points of Light
Light thousands of tealight candles depicting the number of people who have been lost to gun violence since Newtown or light candles representing the number of local gun violence victims.

Vigil & Vocals
Hold a vigil or worship service with choir outside member of Congress's office. While choir is singing, have names of gun violence victims read. Intersperse lines of psalms with names of gun violence victims.

Fasting for Action
A communal fast – have a continuous 2,000 hour fast (12 weeks) where people commit to fasting for one day outside elected officials’ office for gun violence victims.

Acts of Kindness
Perform a specific number of acts of kindness to honor the number lost to gun violence in your community since Newtown.

Ideas For Your Congregation:

• Hold a candlelight vigil
• Dedicate your service to non-violence
• Say a prayer to end gun violence and pass out educational flyer

Points of Light
Light thousands of tealight candles depicting the number of people who have been lost to gun violence since Newtown or light candles representing the number of local gun violence victims.

Vigil & Vocals
Hold a vigil or worship service with choir outside member of Congress's office. While choir is singing, have names of gun violence victims read. Intersperse lines of psalms with names of gun violence victims.

Fasting for Action
A communal fast – have a continuous 2,000 hour fast (12 weeks) where people commit to fasting for one day outside elected officials’ office for gun violence victims.

Acts of Kindness
Perform a specific number of acts of kindness to honor the number lost to gun violence in your community since Newtown.

/Contact

Have questions, comments or suggestions about the Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend? Send us a message.

Points of Light
Light thousands of tealight candles depicting the number of people who have been lost to gun violence since Newtown or light candles representing the number of local gun violence victims. (A helpful but less than accurate calculator showing how many gun deaths since Newtown is available here.)

Vigil & Vocals
Hold a vigil or worship service with choir outside member of Congress's office. While choir is singing, have names of gun violence victims read. Intersperse lines of psalms with names of gun violence victims.

Fasting for Action
A communal fast – have a continuous 2,000 hour fast (12 weeks) where people commit to fasting for one day outside elected officials’ office for gun violence victims.

Acts of Kindness
Perform a specific number of acts of kindness to honor the number lost to gun violence in your community since Newtown.

The Fall 2016 National Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend is December 14-18